PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of luck[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
The entranceway is… different. For a restaurant, that is. For a club, it’s perfect!
Oh but umm, gotta admit I’m kinda dying to know where they plan on hanging the mandatory "at eye level" Letter Grade on this bad boy.
Please rate the Bar:
There are two, actually (not counting the lounge upstairs), and they’re decent. Pretty spacious and comfortable enough. The bartenders are quick, attentive, and proficient, if not particularly amiable.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Good. Creative recipes and quality ingredients for the cocktails and a fine sagacious wine list. Reasonably priced, especially considering their location and pedigree.
Please rate the Dining Room:
It’s a bit odd. The very low ceiling gives it a vague feeling of claustrophobia, and its bi-level structure doesn’t exactly help either. Kinda austere too, despite its rustic motif.
Please rate the BOH:
Technically the BOH is in the FOH, and it’s pretty snazzy. The food is better and more creative than you’d expect, but somewhat pricey. Counter seating offers up a pretty neat show, but it’s probably more (or maybe less?) entertaining if you’re not in the industry yourself— otherwise, it’s just sorta distracting. As in like: ohhh man, are they gonna have themselves a hoedown when the DOH comes calling. I feel for you, dawgs.
How was the staff?
Totally in the weeds. But ya know, that’ll happen when you schedule two large parties of over a dozen covers right at the same time. In a brand new restaurant. In the Meatpacking District. On a Thursday night. At 8:30PM.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Grace roll : OK.
Hudson roll : OK.
Catch roll : Not bad.
Stuffed Calamari : Eh.
Crunchy rice cakes with tuna tartare : So so.
Crab spaghetti : So so.
Mushroom spaghetti : This one is good! Tasty.
Scallop dumplings : This one too! Eat it fast though, don’t let it cool down on ya.
Crispy shrimp : Very good!
Macaroni and lobster cream : OK.
Mushrooms : Delicious.
Sugar snap peas : Nice. Fresh.
"Banana split" : Amazing. No, really.
Cookie platter : Excellent.
Tiramisu? Ugh, can’t remember now, but there was a third dessert : And it was awesome too, whatever it was.
What did you like?
The dessert chef is pretty spectacular! WTF, where’d you find him? Oh, right— Grayz. [We miss you, Grayz. Sob!]
What did you dislike?
Uhh, all the pretty typical nightclubby stuff.
What was your last impression?
The Russian chick trying to make jokes with Russell Simmons in the elevator on the way out was pretty hilarious. But not really in a good way.
Would you come back?
Do you really need me to? Come on now.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you, it was a pleasure.
* * * * *
Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me (Summer 2011), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at: abbediaz.com
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of luck[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Ooh, snazzy. Bienvenidos a Las Vegas.
[Also: Where the fuh-? The googles tells you the address is 346 W 17th, but the entrance is really on 16th St, right next door to The Maritime.]
Please rate the Bar:
Pretty good. Also snazzy. The stools aren’t too comfortable, however, and the very frigid air conditioner blows right in your face. The lounge might be a better option; it’s spacious, commodious, and those massive silver sofas are way more welcoming to your derriere. (There’s another bar upstairs by the pool, but it’s standing room only. And the tables are "for guests of the hotel only," wink wink.)
The bartenders are amiable enough and perfectly proficient (read: Better than Lavo).
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Typical, pretty much what you’d expect— except for maybe the price, which is decidedly un-Strategic Group in its noteworthy reasonable-ness. Recessions, what are they good for? Lower-priced booze, that’s what. Good robust glassware and healthy-ish portions.
Please rate the Dining Room:
It’s uh… snazzy. And big.
Please rate the BOH:
Better than you’d expect. I mean, granted, I don’t know much abot that Top Chef dude, but I don’t exactly eat at Avenue (or Tao or Lavo) if you get what I’m saying. Kinda expensive, though! Bring your corporate card— ya know, if your company still lets you do that sort of thing, that is.
How was the staff?
Haa, well, they’re very experienced/competent all right! You might catch a familiar face or two up in there…
And from what I gather, they like it here. A happy server is a pleasant server.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Yellowfin Tuna Tartare : Good. Fresh. Nice little twist on a classic.
Peekytoe Crabcakes : Very good. Tender and tasty. Nicely done.
Raw oysters : Excellent. Very fresh and expertly shucked. If there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s a butchered oyster. Impressive.
Carne Asada : Outstanding. Perfectly cooked, succulent, juicy, and flavorful. This "chef’s specialty" is a winner for sure.
Wild mushrooms : Great. Hearty and delicious. Pretty big portion too.
Creamed spinach : Mmm, delectable. Nothing wrong with this dish.
What did you like?
The food was good.
What did you dislike?
Well, overall, it’s not really my stilo. I’m sure the bankers and the steno pool (what’s left of them) love it, though.
What was your last impression?
Umm, I’m sorta surprised the hotel went with the circular motif on the facade? It almost looks like it’s just the newest attachment to the Maritime next door.
Would you come back?
Wellll, it’s not exactly in my neighborhood…
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks, it was yummy.
* * * * *
Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me (Spring 2012), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at: abbediaz.com
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of luck[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Swanky.
Oh no wait, sorry— actually my very first impression was how impressed I was that the hostess on the main level (at the bottom of the stairs) was smart enough to handle multi-tasking the answering of the ringing telephone with us arriving through the door at the very same moment. You would be amazed (or maybe not) how often most homegirls screw that shit up; it drives me nuts. (She’s pretty too.)
Please rate the Bar:
Well, the upstairs bar is more like just a "service" bar, or a "waiting-for-the-rest-of-our-guests-to-arrive-so-we-can-sit-down-at-our-table" bar (standing room only). I get the distinct impression they would rather you attempt your heavy imbibing downstairs.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Opted for wine— and huh; the list looks kinda expennnnsive. Sigh, welcome to the Meatpacking District… Tourist.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Beautiful. Very well done. Elegant, accommodating, and smart. Really. (It’s Cyril Durand-Behar, if anybody happens to be curious.)
Please rate the BOH:
Oh, get serious.
If you go quickly enough, you just might get Fabio Trabocchi himself. (I did. How much do you wanna bet he sticks around at least until Sifton rolls through?) You can catch him one last time before he’s off back to Washington.
:(
How was the staff?
Very good. Super attentive, gracious, and conscientious.
I even told the captain the wine list is very "expensive" and he suggested a lower-priced bottle "of good value" without so much as batting an eyelash. Imagine that.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Tuna tartare : Excellent. Fresh, clean, simple. But how come no one at the table knows "the English name" of this one particular somewhat-striking herb? Pssh, some food-professionals we are.
Melanzane parmigiana : Nice. Granted, the portion size makes you want to raise an eyebrow at the $16 price tag, but then you recall how so few restaurants somehow can’t manage to turn out a decent eggplant parmesan— and so you taste this one again as you’re snuggling into the comfy sofa cushions (cradling your glass of "good value" wine) and suddenly it’s totally worth it.
Tortellini with black truffle : Oh, my… And this is where you think of all the other pasta chefs around town, and you want to slap most of them across their faces for some of the crap they dare to dump on a plate.
Veal chop : Wow, perfect. And this is where you think of a certain verrry popular eatery (which shall remain nameless) and the $50+ per person chunk of tough cartilagey garbage they served you last week, and you want to go immediately and suicide bomb yourself in their dining room.
Cotechino with lentils : Oh, eh. Hmm, is this an old traditional Pacri recipe or something? Cuz I noticed awhile back it’s on the Gazzetta menu downstairs too. Just a tad too salty. And sorta oddly conceived, considering the rest of it.
What did you like?
That pasta was amazing— so light and delicate. To think of the way it must have been meticulously hand-rolled…
What did you dislike?
The wine list is pretty pretentious, come on now. I knooow, everybody wants to be The Waverly/Lion but gimme a fucking break already.
What was your last impression?
Holy cow, 8PM on the nose— and this room filled up fast.
Would you come back?
Yes. But I have absolutely no qualms admitting I have a bit of a crush on Chef Trabocchi. Nice haircut, dude!
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you, it was really lovely.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of luck[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Cute. Oops, and… hot. Opening pains, no AC. But the jumbo industrial fans seem to be doing a decent job, considering. (Or ha ha, maybe I’m just grateful for the effort. Come on, Paris— get your shit together. These guys are European; now you really have no excuse.)
Please rate the Bar:
Decent. On the small side, but accommodating enough. Clean, organized, and the bartender is proficient if not particularly effusive.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Good. Usually, I’m a vodka/rocks kind of guy, but lately this interminable heatwave has me really appreciating outdoor cafés in the midday hours. What’s more refreshing than an aperitivo when the sun starts to subside? You’re throroughly wilted; now you need a pick me up.
Anyway, my point is: I’ve gained a fondness for the various Aperol/Cynar concoctions around town— and La Gazzetta’s ‘La Gazzetta’ is no exception. Made with rum and crushed wild cherries, it won me over at the first sip. The fresh watermelon margarita was good, too. Nice ingredients on the list overall, and the price range is suitable if not especially a bargain. The wines "from the barrel" however, are a bit more accessible.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Well done. Comfortable. Simple but creative. Definitely some ample experience in restaurant design at work here. All the little details are just right (save for the "temporary glitch" with the HVAC, I mean. Apparently, that will be "fixed by next week.")
Please rate the BOH:
Very good. Better than I’d expected actually. The menu is hardly imaginative— just a reflection of the very numerous Italian trattorias already dotting the area below 14th St. But, there’s obviously a very skilled and meticulous hand at work here. The freshness, deliciousness, and conscientiousness more than make up for the dearth of ingenuity. (Ha, sometimes ingenuity can be your worst enemy.) Lots and lots of potential here.
How was the staff?
Enthusiastic and amiable. And clearly of the more international variety.
It’s cute and kind of endearing; it just adds to the authenticity.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Prosciutto Cotto and Fontina Paninetti : Uh, it’s delicious, but did somebody get my order wrong? Because this tastes a little more like the "San Daniele and Mozzarella" selection. Oh well, at least it’s good, and I’m too lazy to send it back and wait for another. Also, I was expecting more of a flatbread— but only because the menu states the "paninetti" is served on "flatbread," contrary to say, the "panini" for example.
But again, whatever. If I weren’t enjoying it, I could be a bit annoyed. To their credit, I’m not at all.
Lentil Salad : Very good. But somehow, I must have completely missed the diminutive "cotechino" elaborative description underneath, because I was very (pleasantly) surprised to find a big sausage on top. Just a warning— to a meat eater it was bliss; to a vegan, maybe not so much.
But the execution was delectable, and in retrospect, a good offering for the price.
Chicken and Pepperoni Tramezzini : Good, but I don’t quite detect the pepperoni, which is what I found slightly intriguing. But still yummy and good for nibbling. (Excuse me, I’ll have another La Gazzetta, please…)
Polpette : Very good. Tasty, hearty, scrumptious. But I mean, really— who doesn’t love a good meatball?
I really wanted to try the "Eggs Benedict" next : But urgh, I’m stuffed. The description of "pizza bianca, cotto, and fonduta" sounds really alluring though, especially given the quality I’ve experienced thus far. I’m jumping ahead, but yeah, I’ll be back for that one.
What did you like?
It was pretty much all satisfactory.
What did you dislike?
I don’t normally care much for AC, but in 95+ degree weather…
What was your last impression?
Finally, this one might actually have a good shot at working here.
Would you come back?
Mmmm bennnediiict….
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks, it was a pleasure.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of luck[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
cute.
Please rate the Bar:
N/A— in a way; the bar is essentially more like a "to go" counter that happens to store liquor. good thing they have lots of tables (in the summer, that is).
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
the cocktail list is a bit contrived in that hotelesque kind of way; it’s trite but sorta tries to pretend otherwise. also, opt for wines by the glass instead of by the bottle— a glass of ChateauMinuty e.g., is $9, but the bottle is $60. so ya know, figure that one out. no wait don’t bother, save your brain energy, i’ll just lay it out for you. it’s HotelGansevoort— in the meatpacking district. make sense to ya now? yah i thought so.
Please rate the Dining Room:
i kinda like it. it’s simple but aesthetically pleasing. spacious, comfortable— and it’s a pretty nice view.
Please rate the BOH:
it’s very… hotel. all the tourist favorites are here— caesar salad, turkey panini, lobster club, burger etc, with the unique addition of crepes. the presentation is hardly creative (except for maybe the dried strawberries in the side salads), but it’s not bad. and the prices are pretty reasonable.
How was the staff?
nice. amiable, professional, conscientious.
personally it’s my opinion the host should maybe rein it in just a wee bit addressing all the passersby. i realize it’s the Gansevoort but hello— this aint miami. if you want to give our fair visitors the true downtown new york experience, you have to be a little more haughty and elitist than that, come on now.
but overall i’d say they get a B+ or perhaps even an A-
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
i tried the turkey panini, pat-lafrieda "cafe" burger, and spinach/mushroom crepe. and it was all okay— rather european in the execution actually. certainly none of it is earth-shattering, but that’s likely not their intent anyway. it’s perfectly fine hotel fare, but it won’t exactly compete with its neighbors at this level. luckily for them, it probably doesn’t have to.
What did you like?
the ambience.
What did you dislike?
nothing really. but i mean— i didn’t have very high expectations.
What was your last impression?
it’s a very pleasant place to relax for a drink.
Would you come back?
if i were in the area already? sure.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thank you and have a good day.
• omg! remember when i spotted kelly-killoren.bensimmon outside CafeSelect? look! here’s the outfit she was wearing— it was on last week’s episode of Real Housewives of NYC.
i recall thinking at the the time it was quite eye-catching, but since it was particularly sunny and warm that day, it seemed rather an odd choice for the weather.
and even though she walks southwardly away from CafeSelect at the end of scene, in real reality she must have gone back cuz by the time i saw her, there were no cameras around at all. and evidently they had already "finished filming."
• yah so word on the interwebs is "the boom boom" may be going "members only."
YAY!
• the renovation of iTreMerli on west broadway is almost finished! and it looks pretty smokin. they even have a wood! burning! oven!
you know what that means: pizza.
but— do you remember back in the day when iTreMerli was totally the jumpoff? wellll… this could be fun.
• yah so, apparently LosDados is closed. again.
:(
i’m just sayin.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Hmm, would I like a table? Umm, no, the bar is fine for now, thanks.
Please rate the Bar:
Is it smaller than before (as Craftsteak)? Did they move it? I can’t seem to remember…
Anyway, it’s nice. Clean, very spacious. And professional.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
The beer and wine list is very impressive in its abundance (daunting, almost). The cocktail list, by contrast, is brief and simple— mostly just classics here. Wow, I must have died and gone to… Vegas?
Please rate the Dining Room:
It’s big! Slightly cozier than before. The trees are new, right?
Please rate the BOH:
Get serious, it’s Craft. Even if I were to "rate" it, would anyone care what my opinion is?
How was the staff?
They’re very… well-trained? Yeah, let’s say that.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Octopus salad (bar menu) : Pretty good. Generally, I prefer baby octopus, but this one was decently tender for such an old creature. Nice twist on the classic italian octopus/potato dish. Tasty.
Squid salad (bar menu): Very cold. Comes off a little too "pre-made and refrigerated." Light and refreshing— but that’s probably also why I’m thinking, "Isn’t this more of a summer dish?" Plus, it’s way more garbanzo than squid. Maybe it should be called "Garbanzo bean salad… with some squid…" instead.
Pork belly pizzette (bar menu) : Waaay more mushroom than pork belly; maybe it should be called "Mushroom pizzette… with a little pork belly." That’s probably why it’s also a bit too dry— not enough delicious pork belly fat. Also, $16.00? Wow, for this little thing, that’s a bit expensive.
Would have loved more food but there’s not much else on the bar menu : And I didn’t want another pizzette.
What did you like?
The wood-burning open counter thing is kind of nice to look at.
What did you dislike?
Well, everything I disliked is probably due more to personal preferences and predilections, so perhaps I’ll just refrain.
What was your last impression?
Would I come to try a full dinner? Sorry, I don’t think so.
Would you come back?
For a drink if I’m in the area? Sure.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you and good night.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Vast improvement over Ono, that’s for sure.
Please rate the Bar:
Spacious, warm, inviting (except for the bar stools, which look like they’re made strictly for tiny Japanese asses). And a flatscreen, no less.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Great sake and beer list; good price points, too. The wine list is a little pedestrian (typically hotel-esque) but not terribly, especially for a Japanese restaurant. The cocktails list looks somewhat nauseating, but that’s probably only because I don’t generally go for syrupy sweet drinks. Again, for a Japanese joint, though— fine.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Cute, comfortable. Maybe a little "corporate" (the faux-candle "chandeliers" are a laugh riot) but nice enough. Again, sure beats Ono (which always made you feel like, "Oh no. I am not going there").
Please rate the BOH:
A little gimmicky. But that’s probably just the "corporate" coming out again. Overall, I’d say: OK.
How was the staff?
The bartenders were great— enthusiastic, amiable, conscientious and considerate. I would go so far as to say they "made" the entire experience. Granted, I opted for a bottle of sake, so I can’t judge their mixology skills, but in terms of service: an A. The host at the desk gets a C- or maybe a D; he couldn’t even be bothered to get out of his chair. Later, a maitre d’/manager type arrived, and he had it a little bit better together. He greeted us and asked if all was well, and he recognized immediately upon his arrival what needed to be done to make the ambience better.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Shisito peppers (bar menu) : Disappointing. Mainly because they’re flame-grilled (?) and not sauteed. The charred bits aren’t that appealing, and the flavor and presentation suffers for it. That’s what I mean by "gimmicky." Does everything on the menu get either flame-grilled or deep-fried? Is that their "thing" around here? Kind of silly if you ask me.
Deep-fried bok choy (bar menu): Odd. Doesn’t quite live up to the bartender’s eager sales pitch, but then again, I’m not quite sure what I was expecting. Tastes like dried seaweed. But blander.
Mushroom tempura (bar menu) : Not bad. Like all tempura, though— eat it as fast as possible.
Chicken wings (bar menu): Pretty good. Satisfactory.
What did you like?
The bartenders’ demeanors.
What did you dislike?
To a shisito pepper lover like me, theirs was something of a travesty.
What was your last impression?
Would I come to try a full dinner? Probably not.
Would you come back?
For a drink and light nibble, sure. Good location.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you and good night.
Despite some vague reports to the contrary, PX This has learned that the latest incarnation of "The Room Formerly Known as Boom Boom" on the 18th floor of The Standard Hotel will (as of tomorrow) officially be named The Bon Bon, and will begin admitting "the general public" from 4PM to 9PM for Supper (an extended version of their current Preview menu). The room will then be "cleared out" from 9 to 9:30PM, and (its current policy of) "exclusive" admittance will begin from 10PM onward.
BOOM.
Bon Bon Apetit!
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
wow, this was Lotus? holy cow it sure looks like they spent a lot of money in here tearing everything down and rebuilding it. geezus
Please rate the Bar:
the bartenders were a bit inattentive and maybe just a tad surly, until GM adam-landsman came by to greet (and introduce) us and then they were perfectly friendly.
cleanliness was good and love the "full dinner" service. boisterous but comfortable, spacious, good scene.
personally, getting a little tired of the played out buttoned downed brasserie boys’ club bar look/trend, but i guess i can get over it.
also: backless bar stools make me nutso, but hey maybe that’s just me.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
wasn’t that crazy about the selections of wine by the glass but was grateful for the offer of a taste of our two (white) choices, especially since it seemed to me one of the bottles had "turned" (or maybe it was just really crappy wine, i’m not sure).
sorry, didn’t try any cocktails, but the list looked okay. i mean, personally i would never put triple sec in a margarita (especially a "specialty" one) but who knows? maybe some people actually like the taste of st.josephs aspirin the fuck i know.
the wine by the bottle list is pretty good, but just a tad late 80′s in its philosophy if you hear what i’m sayin.
Please rate the Dining Room:
it’s nice! high ceiling, good lighting, the tables all make sense.
the music, however, is a bit odd in both selection and volume and is sorta messing with the "energy." which is kinda weird for a couple of "club guys" (in a space that used to be a club and should be auditorially well-equipped), no? i would think the music would be the one thing they’d get right with their eyes closed and hands tied behind their backs? (oh but then again i have noticed the music sucks in most clubs lately which is why i’ve pretty much stopped going to any of them so maybe that’s what it is.)
Please rate the BOH:
impressive! in my entire dining lifetime, i have only sent dishes back to the kitchen three times EVER, even if i totally despise them. unfortunately in this case, the sliders were a wee raw inside, so i had no choice. the waiter was very sweetly apologetic and did not at all hesitate about removing the plate, which decidedly implies the BOH has never intimidated him with unwarranted censure and/or self serving psychotic irrational policies.
the waiter was sooo nice about it, as a matter of fact, it gave us the confidence to also return the meatballs which were simply not our tastes (umm is that ketchup in the sauce? it’s oddly sweet), and still his professionally courteous demeanor did not wane. and the new replacement dishes arrived rather quickly and beautifully.
oh— was Chef checking our names with the front desk just as i caught him scanning our table (right after we returned our dishes)? ha ahaaha what a smart cookie. i hope our level of PXness lived up to the scrutiny and he wasn’t sorely disappointed :(
How was the staff?
overall, pretty great. i already mentioned the waiter and bartenders, but the front desk was probably most impressive of all. i mean, i’m assuming there’s an army of hostesses up front because some are still in training mode, but the maitre d’ (head hostess?) was AOK. the front desk is usually where i’m the least tolerant and/or most critical, and i would say she did everything absolutely right.
the runners and bussers were good and professional, and the floor manager (i only remember seeing one?) seemed quite attentive.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
crab cake: very good. but uhh is that red sauce "red hot" hot sauce? i mean ya know— personally i like tabasco. just sayin.
bibb lettuce salad: very nice.
meatballs: yah. that sauce. hmm. mm eh.
sliders: good. but yah i can see how the temperature can be problematic with those teeny tiny patties. 30 seconds too soon, raw. 30 seconds too much, well-done. what a pain in the ass. oh but
why make such a production with the recipe for the sauce? after all that descriptive hullabaloo, it kinda just tasted bland actually.
strip steak: loved the horseradish sauce. nice job on the temperature (medium rare) but juuust a little tougher than i’d like. i’d gladly pay more for a ribeye (or like a porterhouse) if it were offered to me. just sayin.
mussels: plump, juicy, tender! love the spiciness and flavor of the broth, but that layer of oil floating up top is just a bit over the top. neat hotpot, smart design.
creamed spinach: wow. delicious. soooo rich, but i guess peoples shouldn’t be ordering creamed spinach if they’re worried about cream or butter or fat anyways.
chocolate cake: a tad dry and a little hard (despite the lava-ish center), making its brick-like shape too easy a joke. brick, get it? but the ice cream was good.
What did you like?
the room. the table we got. the front desk. the creamed spinach. the waiter. the bathrooms.
What did you dislike?
the (by the glass) wine options. the sauce on the meatballs.
What was your last impression?
this place must be crazy on the weekends. ooh look, harvey-keitel!
Would you come back?
not on a weekend but otherwise, i think so. it’s great for entertaining or a special event, but probably not so much as a local "hang" for me.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
no no no thank YOU :)
The Standard Grill, Abe & Arthur’s, Gansevoort 69
• The Standard Grill •
Much has improved over the weeks at "the standard," but probably not your chances of getting a dinner table during prime time (especially now that an autumnal chill is descending upon us, and the outdoor cafe/patio is no longer an agreeable availability). However, breakfast, lunch and brunch are now being offered as a gratifying alternative to your usual jaunt to Pastis.
Steak is your best bet, with the roast chicken at a close second. "Ranch burger" is a little dry (even at medium rare), but the fries are excellent (and "a Keith McNally favorite.")
A side of sugar snap peas surprisingly gets the win over appealingly offered but much too salty brussel sprouts. Potato and corn pancakes seem like a good idea but end up falling short.
Stop being such a self-important, pretentious snob and just take those seats at the open kitchen being offered to you. You’ll enjoy the show and have the advantage of being perched above all others for the greatest vantage point of the room. So what if you have to swivel sideways every now and again and occasionally have to shout over the clattering din (and the chef/expeditor).
Who do you think you are, anyway? Russell Crowe?
• Abe & Arthur’s •
Don’t believe the hype; the room is nice and all, but the square footage doesn’t quite live up to these fish-eyed lenses colored pencils. It’s a fair enough rendition, however— much in the same way "the general" isn’t exactly seven inches. And make no mistake; you’ll find no vestiges of the exotic/romantic Lotus here— this baby is "billionaire boy’s club" all day every day.
No wonder the menu is trite and uninspired and doesn’t apologize for it, either. But hey, the french fries are pretty good.
Judging from the caliber of the inaugural clientele, the food isn’t the point anyway, Miss Scarlet. So grab a party bus full of the good ole boys and head on down here with a smattering of strippers gorgeous gal pals to gnaw on some bloody meat. Save some room on that Centurion Card for a bottle or ten at basement nightclub Simyone after dinner. Tell them Lyor Cohen sent you.
• Gansevoort 69 •
Oh, hallowed Florent, where art thou?
Don’t get too nostalgic though; this is a pretty good effort with a decent denouement. Sure, you have more little piggies on your left foot than they have entrees on the menu, but what do you care what you’re eating? You’re in the Meatpacking District for fuck’s sake.
Go with the Fish & Chips; they’re actually pretty good. The french fries are awesome and the deep fried caper berries are a great unexpected touch. The bacon-wrapped meatloaf, on the other hand, is over the top enough to leave you looking for your Lipitor. The payoff doesn’t quite measure up to the risk.
The bartender is an affable chap, as are those two teeeeeny tiny itsy bitsy matching blonde bookend waitresses. Trust me, though— skip the wine list options and go straight for the hard stuff.
The Boom Boom Room
(or whatever it’s called) at The Standard Hotel
yah so by now you’ve heard so much about the BoomBoom, you probably feel like you’ve already been there, yes?
slow down, skippy. it’s worth a real live flesh and blood visit anyways. that shit is hott.
sigh. if you can get in.
but fear not, bitches. it’s actually not as hard as everybody makes it out to be. not for YOU, anyways. cuz gawd knows you wouldn’t even be here reading this right now if you weren’t fabulous, am i right?
don’t get me wrong, it CAN be a bit of a chore if you don’t have the skinny, of course. so here’s the 411 google.
it aint open at 4PM, 6PM, or even 8PM. anymore. (for now.)
apparently it opens at 9PM. you’re welcome.
cuz fer sure you were not about to get that information by asking anybody working inside the hotel or the restaurants. holy oh my shit— they are so fucking cryptic about it (ugh bloggers ruin everything!), it’s like fucking fort knox up in that mutherfukker. nobody knows what the hells is going on. or at least they don’t want to tell you what the hells is going on. even the really nice doorman who goes and asks three different peoples on your behalf what the hells is going on will only come back to tell you he doesn’t know whether or not anybody knows what the hells is going on.
and when somebody finally offers up the morsel of information "if the red light is on, it’s open"— that’s a lie.
and to top it all off, no joke— the DOZEN OR SO peoples employed at theStandard you’re very well acquainted with personally— all have the fucking night off.
GAAUGH.
but it’s okay it’s all good.
cuz when you eventually figure out IT OPENS AT 9PM, you will subsequently suddenly find people at the side entrance who are more than happy to accommodate you, and your ass will breeze right through like it was never a damned problem in the first place.
ha ha ahaa umm if you "belong" that is?
siiiigh what can i tell you. if you are even bothering to wonder right now whether or not you "belong" then maybe save yourself the hassle and stay yer ass at home.
oh but here’s a little bit of a tip for you (even if you do "belong"):
see, supposedly even agyness-deyn was turned away last week. now—
if you’ve ever seen agyness-deyn runnin round town as is her wont, then you know homegirl dresses like a typical brooklyn broke assed homeless hipster street urchin.
well, sorry bitches. supermodel or no supermodel, BoomBoomRoom clearly aint feelin your st.mark’s place fedora. they don’t think your canvas converse are cute OR ironic.
all you have to do is take one look at the room to know this. every man who works there is wearing a tie. yah even kamil-parchomienko— and i would bet cash money he never even OWNED a necktie before the BoomBoomRoom opened.
so ya know. if you really wanna go, work it out.
oh and by the way. contrary to popular belief, "knowing" kamil-parchomienko aint gonna help you get in AT ALL. cuz you can’t get that boy on the horn for anything, i don’t care how many times he’s called you "baybee."
once you get inside though, oh! it’s so so nice to see him.
and everybody else too. seriously, that crowd is fierce.
anyhoo. i left right when it started to get really boisterous around 11:30PM, but i still got to see owen-wilson sitting at the bar. (okay fine— HE can dress like shit if he wants to. but he’s owen-wilson and you’re not.)
**check the latest UPDATE on “the BoomBoom.”**
yah so. everybody‘s been buzzing bout theBoomBoom! and evidently, pxthis was no exception (it also seems we were the ones who got the information correctly the quickest, but hey what else is new).
then apparently yesterday, our ole buddy steve-lewis (and then grubstreet) broke the news "Kamil Parchomienko will handle the room…" !!
wow! and yay!
those of us who know and love and/or remember former original subMercer GM/Maitre d’ kamil-parchomienko (also of MercerKitchen, SunsetBeach, StandardMiami, and StandardLA) are of course totally delighted that kamil, the prodigal son, has returned to NYC after a loooong time away. hooray!
oh but i kinda feel a little bad for him though, cuz i don’t know whether or not kamil will appreciate his name being alls out there right before he is about to open the hottest spot in town. i mean like for example,
we alls know the WaverlyInn’s emil-varda has a fake name (and business cards). i also know two of my pals who run LaEsquina refrain as best they can from giving out their names too. and for sure, back in the day, i rarely ever gave peoples my real name either.
not that "the press" ever gave a shit who the GM or Maiterdees were before, so that’s a new one, but whatever.
but i digress.
anyhoo. steve-lewis goes on to describe "They want to do two seatings, 4–9 for small plates and 10–2/3 for late night. Super high-end Rainbow Room/Rose Bar/Windows on the World style $18–25 drinks and DP by the glass…"
wow again! and uhhh… kinda… THANK GAWD (?!)
i don’t know about you, but i’m a little sick of places that only cater to young unkempt insomniac kids whose trust funds haven’t quite kicked in yet. not that i ever went to any of those places (mostly cuz ha ahaa i couldn’t get in), but i just think it’s really really great somebody is finally thinking of us "olds" (ya know— the ones with TASTE) and giving us a place we can go and have fun before one o’clock in the fucking morning.
oh! yah— and since you were wondering
the answer is YES! that’s the kamil you’re thinking of. of course it is! who else would it be.
he’s also one half the character "michael" in the series (the other half is current BlueHill@StoneBarns GM, philippe-gouze) and if all goes well, he’ll be played by actor (and former clubUSA bartender) darren-kendrick.
hmmm how many is that now? ha ha ha ahaa haaah i’ll give a crisp new benjamin to the first person who can correctly identify every person in the book who now works at theStandard.
A Financier, an Operator, and a Blogger walk into a bar…
… order some drinks, get a little tipsy, and start — what else?—- gossiping like a bunch of sewing bee bitches. Here’s the transcript of the part of their discussion about Abe&Arthur/Simyone.
Blogger: Oh! ….And Abe&Arthur will be opening soon I guess.
Operator: Is that that new little place on Waverly?
B: No, that’s Joseph Leonard. Abe&Arthur is the place that used to be Lotus… the restaurant part is Abe&Arthur apparently, and then downstairs will be a club slash lounge type thing called Simyone… ya know, like Bijoux with the party brunch and whatever the upstairs was called.
O: Yah exactly, we don’t even remember the name… Who the hell wants to eat in a nightclub? That didn’t even work for Lotus and the food wasn’t even that bad.
B: People used to eat at Spy.
O: Get outta here, Spy had food? I don’t remember any food.
B: Sure… lobster club, fruit and cheese plate, caviar…
O: Ugh christ.
Financier: People might eat in the restaurant just to go to the nightclub afterward… that’s convenient.
O: Pssh, not if it’s like Lotus. Lotus didn’t guarantee entry to the club afterward just because you had a dinner reservation. That would be a good way for them to go though, because otherwise why would anyone eat there? Too many other good restaurants in that area, so why settle for one place for hours on end? That’s what people like about the meatpacking district… all the bar-hopping…
B: But doesn’t that kill the "exclusivity" thing? Otherwise it’s what— BuddhaBar with dancing?
O: Oh c’mon, in a place that size, how are they ever going to make any money trying to be "exclusive"? They can get the Tenjune crowd, but then what, kill Tenjune? There’s no way they can keep a "hot" crowd in both. But maybe that’s the plan anyway. Now that they milked Tenjune for what it was worth…
B: They can offer it up to the B&T gods? That makes sense.
O: The moneymaker. Does Tenjune charge a cover? They can probably start…. and from what I heard that’s what they probably should do if they going to try to keep the new one exclusive. I heard those guys are in deep with their own personal cash. And they might be cash poor. I know someone who was interviewing for a position… they just lowballed him all day long… it’s like The Inn [at Little West 12th] all over again… We all know how that turned out….
B: I did hear something like that. The way it was told to me is that supposedly they invested a lot of their own money right before the market crash… like "putting a deposit on a pre-construction condo… now that the banks aren’t lending, people either have to come up with the rest of the money some other way, or walk away and take the loss of the deposit… supposedly, this is the boat that those guys are in— they just can’t walk away from the cash already in, so they have no choice but to forge ahead."
F: Banks were never lending to nightclubs, anyway. I’ve never seen a good business plan from one, and that’s all I do all day is look at these things. All that money was coming from guys that may have been in banking but were fronting their own money… I even thought of doing it once…
B: I remember. But you wanted to own the property… I could be wrong, but most of these places are leased, aren’t they?
O: They’re all leased.
F: I know guys that have put their money in clubs. No one ever saw a dime back, but that wasn’t the point anyway.
B: Haa, oh god, I always thought that was a myth.
F: If these guys are dropping a couple grand a weekend anyway, what do you think 50 G’s means to them? It’s all the hype of "ownership" and drinks and the girls…
O: Yeah, you get 10 or 20 of those suckers… no offense…
B: Yeah, but then what about all the celebrities? It’s not like they have problems with drinks and girls…
F: Those are just names. Like, their name is worth money…
B: The place looks nice though… there were renderings all over the internet…
O: Ugh, why do people release their renderings? The actual place never matches the renderings. The renderings are sales pitches by the architects, and the budgets never meet the demands… Then they just look like they’re fronting…
B: Maybe they’re fronting then. Isn’t that the point? If they want to build hype and anticipation…?
B: Oh, what’s the deal with Remm and Tepperberg anyway? I heard they straight up kicked him out of Tao in Vegas halfway through his meal….
O: Remm was never one for making friends…
B: If he didn’t think you’re worth it to him…?
O: … But he shouldn’t be trying to make enemies either…
B: No, he’s got the right idea. I thought I heard he was going around saying he needed a starlet girlfriend, to make himself "next level." Oh! Wait, he did date Shannen Doherty, right?
O: He wants to be Richie Akiva more than anyone else in the world… but the food even sucked at Butter.
B: They do kind of look alike, don’t you think?
O: Shannen Doherty is no Carmen Kass…
B: You know I saw Eugene Remm dive under a banquette to rescue his [former] boss’s lipstick once. There were all these other bartenders and managers around, but Eugene Remm was the only chivalrous one….
O: He was the only one who could fit under the banquette without stooping over?
B: Aww… that’s mean…
F: No good deed goes unpunished…
= "personne extraordinaire"